Black SC Dems Bolt Party for GOP Over Failing Public Schools
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Today is the kind of day that Redstate's Gamecock lives for. A story originating from the June 2001 conservative convert's hometown of Spartanburg, S.C. is featured on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal today.
Titled, "Change Comes to a Carolina", the WSJ reports the decision of more than a dozen Black Democrats to support the Republican candidate for State Secretary of Education in this November's general election, Karen Floyd over Democrat Jim Rex.
Longtime Gamecock friend, Civil rights Democrat and retired educator, Dewey Tullis, bluntly explained his decision:
"Frankly, I'm tired of seeing our young black men graduate high school without knowing how to read and write."
Mr. Tullis and I became friends at the then largest YMCA in the South in Spartanburg, in the 80s and 90s where we had adjacent lockers. His son supported me for County Dem Party Chairman in the early 90s.
The rhetoric of the Democrat Party has grown stale in SC. Blacks want results, not condescending rhetoric meant more to make the liberal Democrat voter feel morally superior due to compassion than actual results, i.e. educated graduates that can read and write and compete in the economy.
WSJ excerpts:
"The good news is that the Palmetto State may be reaching a tipping point that could upend the public education establishment. Reform advocates have been building grassroots support for vouchers, tax credits, charter schools -- almost anything that will give parents more options on where to send their children. Governor Mark Sanford, a Republican, is already a supporter of broad-based school choice."
"The state's reformist residents are also sending a message in the one way pols can't duck -- at the ballot box. In June, three incumbent state legislators were defeated in primaries for opposing school choice."
link to whole article (subscription required)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115931719266075030.html?mod=opinion_main...
"Several other incumbents, including House Education Committee Chairman Ronny Townsend, decided to retire rather than risk being turned out of office. South Carolinians for Responsible Government, a non-profit advocacy group in Columbia, estimates that in November reformers could pick up the seats they need in the house to pass education scholarships and tax credits for parents with kids in failing schools. These reforms failed this year by seven votes.
It's a long way to November. Representative Mitchell, for one, is now distancing himself from school choice, but remains undeterred in his support for Ms. Floyd. He waves off the swipes he's taken from fellow Democrats and the write-in challenger he's drawn since announcing his school-reform endorsement. "Some people really don't know the issues, or they just don't care." In South Carolina, that may finally be changing."
http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan
While a 25% shift in voting patterns from dem to GOP would probably mean the end of a viable democrat party, as little as an 8-10% shift would relegate the dems to permanent minority status.
It seems that many conservative black voters have "listened" long enough. Now it looks as though they have begun to think, and a new group of leaders are emerging and demanding results.
If completed, this transformation bodes well for our country.
***
"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
Is showing up with results. I consider NCLB a step in the right direction... not the final destination to fixing or education system.
Its not going to be good enough to say "Well we tried, but we couldn't change what we wanted in the system. Won't you vote for us anyway?"
"Took the nickname Troll long before BlogTrolls existed..."
Gov. Sanford's leadership on this issue is just one more reason I think he is the perfect dark horse concensus candidate for President. He would please small government conservatives (see bringing pigs to the legislation named "pork" and "barrel" to embarass the porkers), social conservatives (he's good down the line including pro-life), and black conservatives (see the school choice efforts). Gov. Sanford could use his next year to cement some major education reforms and use them to catapult into a Presidential run. In my ideal world, he could name Sen. Steele or Gov. Blackwell as his running mate. But he would probably need a foreign policy guru such as Dr. Rice or another Senator. Now my wishful thinking is just getting the best of me.
I have read only a little about Sanford, but everything I have read, without exception, has impressed me.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
Gov. Sanford will see his reelection this fall as an obligation to serve the people of SC as our governor for the full four year term. And a man of his integrity will strive to fulfill that obligation.
I'd love to see him run, but it ain't gonna happen. At least not in 2008.
Retire Lindsey Graham. Support Thomas Ravenel for Senate 2008
and have been so in SC. Tell me what you make of all these McCain endorsers? see below
http://race42008.com/2006/09/28/mccain-continues-to-build-sc-machine/
also, did you see my story on the Spartanburg Black Dems coming out for Floyd for Education Sect? The main man Tullis supported me for Sptbg County Dem chair 16 yers ago. i called him up when I read the Wall Street Journal editorial on this from Spartanburg!!
http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com/g/a3ae4778-b305-448a-82f7-47e29d4944...
awesome eh!
http://race42008.com/2006/09/28/mccain-continues-to-build-sc-machine/
wel, another glorious loss on espn tonight.............
http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan
but he strikes me as a bit of a flake that wouldn't wear well in a national campaign. But I agree with you on his appeal to expand the party and I agree with him on most issues. I haven't followed him real closely as I have been in GA and NC during his tenure.
But the pigs in the State House backfired when they shat on the carpet!
http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan
Don't forget, in Maryland we have Black Demms bolting as well. If we get a 20% shift, the Demm party is done here.
Everyone with a family member suffering from diabetes, Parkinson's disease or heart failure wishes Bush had kept that veto pen in his pocket.
blogging contest by Hugh Hewitt this past weekend on the subject of what one race could be the most significant for the GOP. check it out
A Black GOP Senator Could "Whig Out" the Democrat Party
http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com/g/dc379487-5420-4c59-ab1b-a661914061...
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/g/94c61ff6-80d8-4c20-bded-dd1c9bfdd550
see dutchmeister too
http://dutchmeister.townhall.com/g/a77f1fe5-465f-4707-8b5a-a45e9d46f7b6
http://www.redstate.com/blogs/gamecock/2006/sep/23/2006_gop_victory_that...
http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan
The trickle of conservative black Reublicans that the GOP pointed to as a beginning..and the Dems called "Uncle Toms's" has begun to turn into a raging floodover the last couple of years.
As more and more conservative blacks realize that the Jesse Jacksons and Charlie Rangels do NOT speak for them...that their personal beliefs more resemble those of J C Watts, Ambassador Alan Keyes, Dr Condoleezza Rice, Michael Steele, Dr Thomas Sowell, Dr Walter Williams, Ken Blackwell, Rev Keith Butler, Lynn Swann and now Dewey Tullis.
Even a 25-30 percent shift in what has been a Democrat monolithic voting block will mean the end of the modern Democratic Party.
See The World In HinzSight!